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We have a difference of opinion about that then. I clearly see as one goal of gun groups to enlarge the population of gun owners so that it empowers them and their agenda. In fact, the statements of Wayne La Pierre of the NRA have confirmed this.

Others in the gun culture have made it very clear that they want more guns and more people to carry guns.

That is the down side of ANY and ALL of our Constitutional rights, they are given to all at birth (or at least citizens upon attaining adult age). Once you assert that "training" or "qualification" may be added to get them then one may ask why allow voting by morons? Much more harm, to our rights and freedom, can be done by passing restrictive laws and ceding ever more control/power to the gov't by voting for (and by) morons, than can be done by any single individual with a gun. Many elections are decided by less than 5% of the voters. Calls for adding the requirement of a simply presenting a valid, state issued, photo ID to vote are often rejected, much less adding any tests of voter competency, e.g. naming the current US representatives, two Senators and one House representative. Those that are very quick to demand "strict qualification tests" for getting one's 2A rights seem to be the very same folks that would deny any "reasonable restriction" being paced on the right to vote. I will take your "public safety" concerns seriously when you pass and enforce laws to permanently lock up all repeat felony offenders (and the criminally insane) and require only citizens with valid, state issued, photo IDs showing current residency be allowed to vote (only once and only as themselves) in a given election.

Seems kind of silly not to recognize an issue and consider the consequences of that issue. I don't believe we can legislate everything, but we should at least recognize the inherent dangers involved. They are dangers even from those who are not repeat offenders or criminally insane.

AUSTAN GOOLSBEE:I think the world vests too much power, certainly in the president, probably in Washington in general for its influence on the economy, because most all of the economy has nothing to do with the government.

I already did. A lesser trained person with a 2-5lb trigger is more accurate than a well trained cop with a 13lb trigger.

The New York Trigger negates any training the cop received than a relatively low trained civilian. Trigger pull makes that big of a difference.

I suspect not. Few could even remain calm enough to react appropriately.

AUSTAN GOOLSBEE:I think the world vests too much power, certainly in the president, probably in Washington in general for its influence on the economy, because most all of the economy has nothing to do with the government.

They continually show reckless display. I wouldn't base decisions on civilian access to firearms off an aggressive, apathetic towards public safety, authoritarian branch of the government.

I've seen first hand outcomes with civilians with weapons as a paramedic. Tens, never picked up one shooting a criminal. But lord, the idiots. I tell you, there is a danger. I just don't know how to keep the stupid, the awkward, the unskilled from having them. But they are the bigger threat.

AUSTAN GOOLSBEE:I think the world vests too much power, certainly in the president, probably in Washington in general for its influence on the economy, because most all of the economy has nothing to do with the government.

Seems kind of silly not to recognize an issue and consider the consequences of that issue. I don't believe we can legislate everything, but we should at least recognize the inherent dangers involved. They are dangers even from those who are not repeat offenders or criminally insane.

Perhaps a solution might be to have the government armed, like Sheriff Andy Taylor, and the public allowed one bullet each, like Deputy Barney Fife. Of course the gun that accepts that single bullet will be kept in a separate location.

It might be time to treat the civilian population of The United States of America like 300 million Barney Fifes, just as they do in Europe. This is a solution that would have broad appeal to the Barney Fife leftists everywhere, though admittedly a more difficult sell to the Any Taylors of the world.

Perhaps a solution might be to have the government armed, like Sheriff Andy Taylor, and the public allowed one bullet each, like Deputy Barney Fife. Of course the gun that accepts that single bullet will be kept in a separate location.

It might be time to treat the civilian population of The United States of America like 300 million Barney Fifes, just as they do in Europe. This is a solution that would have broad appeal to the Barney Fife leftists everywhere, though admittedly a more difficult sell to the Any Taylors of the world.

You do know why they only let Barney have one bullet, don't you?

Treat the earth well: it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children. ~ Ancient American Indian Proverb

Perhaps a solution might be to have the government armed, like Sheriff Andy Taylor, and the public allowed one bullet each, like Deputy Barney Fife. Of course the gun that accepts that single bullet will be kept in a separate location.

It might be time to treat the civilian population of The United States of America like 300 million Barney Fifes, just as they do in Europe. This is a solution that would have broad appeal to the Barney Fife leftists everywhere, though admittedly a more difficult sell to the Any Taylors of the world.

Seems kind of silly not to recognize an issue and consider the consequences of that issue. I don't believe we can legislate everything, but we should at least recognize the inherent dangers involved. They are dangers even from those who are not repeat offenders or criminally insane.

Perhaps a solution might be to have the government armed, like Sheriff Andy Taylor, and the public allowed one bullet each, like Deputy Barney Fife. Of course the gun that accepts that single bullet will be kept in a separate location.

It might be time to treat the civilian population of The United States of America like 300 million Barney Fifes, just as they do in Europe. This is a solution that would have broad appeal to the Barney Fife leftists everywhere, though admittedly a more difficult sell to the Any Taylors of the world.

Probably not, but I do like good sarcasm.

AUSTAN GOOLSBEE:I think the world vests too much power, certainly in the president, probably in Washington in general for its influence on the economy, because most all of the economy has nothing to do with the government.